Introduction

INTRODUCTION

Audience

This collection of 20 classic books,  each with a special message, will be kept at will be kept at North Sydney Library. The main audience will be NSW year 11 Board of Studies students. All books contain the concept of the inner journey.

Purpose

One can use the literature in “Classics with a Message” to help understand a person’s response to situations which are either new or foreign, or even old situations where a catalyst causes new decisions to be made. By comparing two very different novels we can start to understand why these stories are so popular.

Background to plot and message

The books have been written by authors of different nationalities and in a variety of settings. Sometimes an author changes the location so as not to upset the population where he lives. Sometimes he doesn’t and the novel arouses anger. Sometimes he /she tries to create new situations where people have to make unusual decisions. Some authors have a historical interest and write about history often tending to longer books. Sometimes an author sees a story in a place, more in the line of a parable, giving a shorter book. Books may present strong messages which disagree with a communities way of living or thinking.

Writing style

Some authors use humour or present things in a humorous way. Some use a lyrical style, and we can imagine really nice places to be, Apart from the plot, the writing style can also make the literature moving, haunting, mytical compelling or engaging.

Selection of novels by genre

The main genres  used for for searching fo appropriate novels for “Classics with a Message” were Surrealist literature, Psychological fiction, Utopian fiction, Dystopian fiction. Some novels with genres of Social realism and Magical realism were also considered suitable.

Appeal factors also used in selecting what appeared appropriate to the category were, thought-provoking, self-discovery, values, social issues, reflective, mystical, haunting, hallucinations and counterculture.